Hockey Net and Rebound Screen

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates generally to the field of hockey nets. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved hockey mininet and GoalScreen. The mininet is comprised of a mininet structure, a GoalScreen, a puck, a ball, and a simulated ice surface. The GoalScreen can further removably and magnetically attach to the mininet structure via a magnetic frame and is comprised of framed mininet netting that returns a puck or ball to the user once the puck/ball has been shot at the screen. Further, the mininet may be comprised of a removably or fixedly attached simulated ice surface that mimics the feel of real ice. The mininet attaches to the simulated ice surface structure via a magnetic means or other means. The simulated ice surface may be comprised of a plurality of attachable sections to allow for easy transport and storage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S.Provisional Application No. 63/180,163 which was filed on Apr. 27, 2021and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of hockey nets.More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved hockeymininet and the addition of a Goal screen. (To be known as GoalScreen).The mini-net is comprised of a mininet structure, a goal screen, a puckor a ball, and a simulated ice surface. The GoalScreen can furtherremovably and magnetically attach to the mininet structure via amagnetic frame, and is comprised of an screen/net that returns a puck orball to the user once the puck/ball has been shot at the screen.Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto.Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the presentinvention are also equally applicable to other like applications,devices and methods of manufacture.

BACKGROUND

Over half a million individuals in the United States play hockey everyyear. However, hockey is normally only practiced and played at an indoorice rink, or at an outside ice rink during the winter months.Individuals may find the cost too high or may lack the time ortransportation means to regularly frequent an indoor ice rink topractice their hockey skills such as shooting, which is undesirable fordeveloping their skills as a hockey player. As a result, manyindividuals may place hockey nets outside in their yard or driveway topractice shooting. However, once an individual shoots a puck at the netand makes the shot, they must retrieve the puck from the net. This canbe a repetitive and tiring process, especially if the individual doesnot own a large number of hockey pucks and is required to retrieve thepuck from the net after every shot. Further, practicing on surfaces suchas black top or a driveway does not mimic the exact feel of ice, andtherefore does not adequately mimic the handling of a puck on ice. Thisis also undesirable, as in order to develop great skill any athlete inany sport should practice on a surface that most closely mimics thefield, court, or surface on which they ultimately play. Further, becausetraditional hockey nets are large, they may be difficult to transport toa community area such as a park in order to play hockey.

Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an improvedhockey net that is smaller in size than existing hockey nets, such thatthe goal can be easily transported and stored. There also exists along-felt need in the art for a hockey net that is further comprised ofa puck/ball return feature that does not require a user to retrieve apuck from the net after every made shot. Further, there exists in theart a long-felt need for a hockey net and return feature that allowseasily and quickly removeability from the face of the minnet asnecessary. Finally, there exists a long-felt need in the art for ahockey net that enables the mininet to be easily attachable/detachableto the simulated ice surface that mimics the feel of real ice.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodimentthereof, comprises an improved hockey net and GoalScreen . The minnet iscomprised of a mininet structure, a return feature, a puck, a ball and autilized simulated ice surface. The GoalScreen may removably andmagnetically attach to the mininet structure via a magnetic frame, thatreturns a puck or ball to the user once the puck/ball has been shot atthe screen.

In this manner, the hockey mininet and GoalScreen of the presentinvention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides animproved hockey net. Further, the hockey mininet does not require that auser physically retrieve a puck/ball after it has been shot and madeinto the net.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basicunderstanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summaryis not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identifykey/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its solepurpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as aprelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodimentthereof, comprises a hockey mininet and GoalScreen. The mininet iscomprised of a mininet structure, a GoalScreen, a puck, a ball and autilized simulated ice surface. The mininet structure may be made of amagnetic metal and is preferably smaller than a traditional hockey net,wherein the net further receives a GoalScreen. The GoalScreen iscomprised of a magnetic frame that attaches to the face of the mininetstructure in a removable manner. The GoalScreen is further comprised ofa mininet netting that returns a puck or ball back in the direction fromwhich the puck/ball was shot. In this manner, the puck/ball does nothave to retrieved from inside the mininet structure after each madeshot. In differing embodiments, the GoalScreen may be attached to themininet structure via a plurality of clips or other fasteners.

Accordingly, the hockey mininet and GoalScreen of the present inventionis particularly advantageous as it provides an improved hockey net thatdoes not require a user to retrieve their shot from within the net.Further, the hockey mininet and GoalScreen utilizes a simulated icesurface that can be used to adequately simulate the feel of real ice.Further, the GoalScreen is easily removable to allow the mininet to beused as a miniature hockey net as necessary.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certainillustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein inconnection with the following description and the annexed drawings.These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various waysin which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and areintended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Otheradvantages and novel features will become apparent from the followingdetailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The description refers to provided drawings in which similar referencecharacters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and inwhich:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of ahockey mininet and GoalScreen of the present invention with a mininetstructure and without a GoalScreen and a mininet netting in accordancewith the disclosed architecture;

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of ahockey mininet and GoalScreen of the present invention with a mininetnetting and without a GoalScreen in accordance with the disclosedarchitecture;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of ahockey mininet and GoalScreen of the present invention without a mininetnetting and with a GoalScreen in accordance with the disclosedarchitecture; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of ahockey mininet and GoalScreen of the present invention with a mininetstructure, and a GoalScreen, wherein the mininet is placed on anartificial ice surface in accordance with the disclosed architecture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, whereinlike reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout.In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovationcan be practiced without these specific details. In other instances,well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form inorder to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments arediscussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are describedonly to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are notintended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limitthe scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment neednot have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in otherembodiments, any of the features described herein from differentembodiments may be combined.

As noted above, there is a long-felt need in the art for an improvedhockey net that is smaller in size than existing hockey nets, such thatthe goal can be used in a confined space enabling the shooter to shootpucks or balls as much as they want and such that the goal can be easilytransported or stored. There also exists a long-felt need in the art fora hockey net that is further comprised of a puck/ball return featurethat does not require a user to retrieve a puck from the net after everymade shot. Further, there exists in the art a long-felt need for ahockey mininet and puck/ball return feature that allows that feature tobe easily and removed from the face of the net as necessary.

The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of ahockey mininet and GoalScreen. The mininet is comprised of a mininetstructure, a GoalScreen, a puck or a ball, and utilizing a simulated icesurface. The mininet structure may be made of a magnetic metal and ispreferably smaller than a traditional hockey net, wherein the mininetfurther receives a GoalScreen. The GoalScreen is comprised of a magneticstrip that attaches to the face of the mininet structure in a removablemanner. The GoalScreen is comprised of mininet netting that returns apuck or ball back into the direction from which the puck/ball was shot.In this manner, the puck/ball does not have to be retrieved from insidethe mininet structure after each shot. In differing embodiments, theGoalScreen may be attached to the mininet structure via a plurality ofclips or other fasteners.

The mininet may also utilize a simulated ice surface. The simulated icesurface mimics the feel of real ice and can be of any dimension to allowa shooting area of appropriate size to be formed. The simulated icesurface may further have a magnetic connection or other connection toallow the mininet to be attached to it to keep the mininet from movingupon the receipt of hard shots. The top surface of the simulated ice mayalso be comprised of a plurality of indicia and/or traditional hockeyrink markings/lines. In addition, the mininet utilize a digital timerthat can be removably-attached to the simulated ice surface or mininetstructure offering a metric of shooting a number of pucks or balls withrespect to time.

Accordingly, the hockey mininet and GoalScreen of the present inventionis particularly advantageous as it provides an improved hockey mininetthat does not require a user to retrieve their shot from within the netafter each made shot. Further, the hockey mininet and GoalScreenutilizes a simulated ice surface that can be used to simulate the feelof a real ice surface. Further, the GoalScreen is easily removable toallow the mininet to be used as a miniature hockey net as necessary.

Referring initially to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspectiveview of one potential embodiment of a hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100of the present invention with a mininet structure 105 and without aGoalScreen 130 and a mininet netting 120 in accordance with thedisclosed architecture. The mininet 100 is preferably comprised of amininet structure 105, and a GoalScreen assembly 130. The mininetstructure 105 is preferably comprised of a top crossbar 110 that isconnected to two parallel sidebars 112 via two rounded upper corners119. The sidebars 112 then connect to two parallel bottom sidebars 116via two rounded lower corners 117. The bottom sidebars 116 then connectto a bottom crossbar 114 via two rounded bottom corners 115. The mininetstructure 105 may be any suitable dimension in the art that is smalleror larger than an existing hockey net, but is preferably of dimensionssmaller than a traditional hockey net, such that it can be used forshooting practice in a confined space and easily stored, transportedelsewhere for shooting practice and small sided hockey games using pucksor road hockey balls; or knee hockey games using small soft balls.Further, all components of the mininet structure 105 may be made fromhollow ABS plumbing pipe that can be filled with sand or other weightedmaterial to increase the weight of the mininet structure 105 to allowthe structure 105 to withstand fast shots and remain immovable. Thestructure 105 may further have at least one fill plug 122 that allowsthe structure 105 to be sealed after being filled with sand or otherweighted material.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of ahockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 of the present invention with amininet netting 120 and without a GoalScreen 130 in accordance with thedisclosed architecture. In any embodiment, all components of the mininetstructure 105 may be fixedly or removably-attached to one other usingany fastening means known in the art such as but not limited to: nuts,bolts, screws, spring-tensioned fasteners, etc. Further, all componentsof the mininet structure 105 unless otherwise indicated are preferablycomprised of a durable metal such as steel or aluminum, or a rigidplastic. etc. The mininet structure 105 may also be comprised of amininet netting 120 that attaches to the top crossbar 110, sidebars 112,bottom crossbar 114, bottom corners 115, bottom sidebars 116, lowercorners 117 and upper corners 119 via a plurality of removable orfixedly-attached means such as a plurality of clips or zip ties 144 orany other fastener or fastening system known in the art. The mininetnetting 120 is preferably made from a nylon netting, but may be aplurality of colors (such as but not limited to white) or net types, andmay have a plurality of net spacings in differing embodiments of themininet 100. The preferred net 120 spacing is one inch squares with 3 or4 millimeter string.

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of ahockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 of the present invention without amininet netting 120 and with a GoalScreen 130 in accordance with thedisclosed architecture. The mininet 100 is also comprised of aGoalScreen assembly 130 that may be any appropriate dimension such thatis covers the mininet structure 105 adequately. In one embodiment, theGoalScreen assembly 130 may have a magnetic member 134 that may becomprised of magnetic adhesive enabling it to attach to the top crossbar110. Further, the Goalscreen 130 can be removed from the mininetstructure 105 or folded over the back of the mininet structure 105 whennot being used for shooting practice.

In one embodiment, the GoalScreen 130 may be only comprised of a loosenetting and no border 131 such that the GoalScreen mininet netting 130is secured to the top crossbar 110 via zip ties 144 or other removablefasteners such that it can hang and swing freely to allow the puck orball to be elegantly tossed back towards the user. In addition, theGoalScreen 130 may have a border 131 made of rope, nylon, or othermaterial. The border 131 may be present on all sides of the GoalScreen130, with only the bottom side being leaded rope to provide a resistiveforce to allow a puck or ball to recoil appropriately off of theGoalScreen 130. The GoalScreen 130 may also have a nylon bandingweighted rope 150.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of one potential embodiment of ahockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 of the present invention with amininet structure 105, and a GoalScreen 130, wherein the mininet 105 isplaced on an artificial ice surface 170 in accordance with the disclosedarchitecture. In one embodiment, the net 100 is comprised of anartificial ice surface 170 that can be removably or fixedly attached tothe net 100 via any known fastening means in the art such as but notlimited to: nuts, bolts, screws, hook and loop, etc. The ice surface 170is a synthetic ice surface made of a polyethylene plastic or otherplastic such as polycarbonate, polyethylene, thermoplastic,acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, low density polyethylene, mediumdensity polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polyethyleneterephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polylactic acid, acetal,nylon, fiberglass, etc.

The mininet and GoalScreen 100 are meant to be used with a standardhockey puck weighing 6 ounces and being 3 inches in diameter and 1 inchthick. The mininet and Goal Screen are also meant to be used with acommercial Smartball made by Smarthockey. The Smart ball(s) weigh thesame as a puck.

Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claimsto refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the artwill appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature orcomponent by different names. This document does not intend todistinguish between components or features that differ in name but notstructure or function. As used herein “hockey net with the GoalScreen”,“mininet and GoalScreen”, “device” and “net”, are interchangeable andrefer to the hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 of the present invention.

Notwithstanding the forgoing, the hockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 ofthe present invention and its various components can be of any suitablesize and configuration as is known in the art without affecting theoverall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish theabove-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art willappreciate that the size, configuration and material of the hockeymininet and GoalScreen 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrativepurposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the hockeymininet and GoalScreen 100 are well within the scope of the presentdisclosure. Although the dimensions of the hockey mininet andGoalScreen100 are important design parameters for user convenience, thehockey mininet and GoalScreen 100 may be of any size, shape and/orconfiguration that ensures optimal performance during use and/or thatsuits the user's needs and/or preferences.

Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplaryembodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the presentinvention. While the embodiments described above refer to particularfeatures, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments havingdifferent combinations of features and embodiments that do not includeall of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the presentinvention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications,and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with allequivalents thereof.

What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subjectmatter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivablecombination of components or methodologies for purposes of describingthe claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art mayrecognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimedsubject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter isintended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variationsthat fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in eitherthe detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to beinclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising”is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.

What is claimed is:
 1. A miniature, ¼ size hockey net comprising: ahockey mininet; and a GoalScreen assembly.
 2. The hockey mininet andGoalScreen assembly of claim 1 is sized, not too large and not too smallfor practicing low shots in that 70% of goals scored in hockey games arelow shots.
 3. The hockey mininet and GoalScreen assembly of claim 1 is aminimalistic design using a minimum number of parts, simple assembly andaffording simple maintenance.
 4. The hockey mininet and GoalScreenassembly of claim 1, is designed for shooting pucks and hockey balls ina limited or confined space yet providing a vigorous workout.
 5. Thehockey mininet of claim 1 gives the hockey player an actual game timeshooting experience using a mini hockey net and hockey pucks and usingreal hockey skills and effort for the shots.
 6. The hockey mininet andGoalScreen assembly of claim 1 is of industrial grade design andconfiguration and its members are repairable or replaceable.
 7. Thehockey mininet comprises: a metal mininet structure comprised of a topcrossbar, a pair of parallel sidebars, a pair of bottom sidebars, abottom crossbar, a rear support bar and a mininet netting.
 8. The hockeymininet of claim 7, wherein the hockey mininet netting is knotlessnetting.
 9. A mini hockey net of claim 7 comprising of sand, or othermaterial, filled (loose or solid) structure members to provide mass tokeep the MiniNet from moving, on ice or simulated ice, from hard shots.10. The GoalScreen assembly is a nylon framed rectangular piece ofnetting that is attached to the hockey mininet top cross bar and whenstruck by a hockey puck or smart ball will recoil and toss the hockeypuck or smart ball back toward the shooter.
 11. The GoalScreen assemblyof claim 10, wherein the magnetic or otherly attachment of theGoalScreen assembly removably attaches to the metal hockey mininetstructure.
 12. The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10, wherein theGoalScreen assembly magnetically attaches to a bottom surface of the topcrossbar.
 13. A GoalScreen assembly of claim 10 that is comprised of amagnetic attachment to fasten to the magnetic frame of the mininet andallows the GoalScreen to swing freely when struck by a puck or ball. 14.The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10, wherein the GoalScreen netting isnylon netting.
 15. The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10 wherein thenetting can be put in tension.
 16. The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10wherein the netting mesh is of specific size for best performance. 17.The GoalScreen assembly of claim 10, wherein the bottom of theGoalScreen has an active member lead rope of specific size that enablesthe GoalScreen to work properly and efficiently.
 18. The GoalScreenassembly of claim 10, wherein the hockey puck or smart ball will recoiloff the nylon netting and be tossed back towards the user who shot thepuck or ball.